The sharing economy is adding inventory to Alberta’s supply of guest accommodation without building a single new hotel. Home-sharing platforms appeal to a certain segment of travellers and to homeowners wanting to augment their income.  However, unregulated rentals and the home-sharing platforms that promote them have created unintended consequences, such as impacts to property values, loss of affordable housing, and loss of tax revenue. The AHLA encourages Alberta municipalities to restrict home-sharing activity to principal residences, require providers to hold a business license and insurance, and ensure providers comply with municipal bylaws and zoning. Read more on our blog.

On July 17, 2019, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), joined by the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association (OGHA) and the Association Hôtellerie Québec (AHQ), launched its #VoteFairRules campaign, calling on federal parties and candidates to modernize Canada’s outdated tax laws and regulations for digital platforms like Airbnb.

Feb 1, 2021 CTV ‘1234-ABCDEF’: Enforcement gap may be behind hundreds of bogus short-term rental licences
Feb 27, 2020 Global Alberta Budget 2020: Short-term rentals to be taxed 4% like hotels already are
Feb 26, 2020 Edmonton Journal Alberta budget 2020: Province projects $3-million from tourism tax on short term rentals
Feb 26, 2020 CBC Alberta government to add tourism levy to short-term rentals (with quote from AHLA)
Feb 25, 2020 CTV News ‘I would rather live next door to a frat house’: Airbnb bylaw decision next week
Feb 25, 2020 CBC Edmonton residents urge city to crack down on short-term rentals
Feb 25, 2020 CBC Rules on short-term rentals up for debate at Edmonton city hall
Feb 25, 2020 Edmonton Journal City to consider further restrictions on short-term rentals to tackle growing concerns with problem properties
Dec 6, 2019 630 CHED Edmonton’s hotel industry urging the city to tighten up the rules on short-term rentals
Nov 28, 2019 Globe & Mail Alberta hotel lobby group launches political campaign against short-term rentals like Airbnb, VRBO
Nov 28, 2019 CBC ‘Not playing by the same rules’: Edmonton hoteliers want more regulation on short-term rentals
Nov 28, 2019 CTV News Campaign to collect Airbnb horror stories launched by hotel association
Nov 28, 2019 Global News Group urges city to toughen up Edmonton’s short-term rental rules
Nov 27, 2019 CTV News City of Ottawa cracks down on use of Airbnb, ‘ghost hotels’ in the capital
Nov 18, 2019 Global News Ontario tribunal upholds Toronto rules on short-term rentals like Airbnb
Nov 5, 2019 CBC Edmonton Airbnb host pulls down listing after weekend shooting
Nov 3, 2019 City News Two men injured following shooting at Edmonton Airbnb
Oct 24, 2019 CTV News Tobacco taxes, fee hikes and Airbnb levy: Other things to watch for in Alberta Budget 2019
Oct 19, 2019 CBC An Airbnb rental is a business; it’s only realistic for it to be treated (and taxed) as such
Oct 1, 2019 CBC Want to rent your Calgary home on Airbnb? Soon you’ll need a business licence
Oct 1, 2019 Calgary Herald Corbella: Airbnb ghost hotel operators should be taxed like a business
Sep 30, 2019 Calgary Herald Council votes to license short-term rentals listed on services like Airbnb (with quote from AHLA)
Sep 12, 2019 Calgary Herald Corbella: Commercial Airbnb operations should be taxed just like hotels (with quote from AHLA)
Sep 12, 2019 CBC Calgarians who rent their properties on Airbnb could soon face new regulations (with quote from AHLA)
Sep 11, 2019 CBC Calgary mulls new rules, fees for Airbnb and other short-term rentals
Sep 10, 2019 CBC Bonavista cuts off services for Airbnb operators with unpaid business tax bills
Sep 9, 2019 Calgary Herald City considers regulations, fees for Airbnb and other short-term rentals
Sep 9, 2019 Global City of Calgary closer to implementing new rules for home-sharing services
Aug 21, 2019 630 CHED City council ponders new regulations for short term rentals
Aug 21, 2019 CBC Is it time to regulate short term rentals?
Aug 21, 2019 Insurance Business Canada Experts remind homeowners of the risks involved with Airbnb
Aug 20, 2019 Edmonton Journal Opinion: Treat short-term home rentals like any other business
Aug 20, 2019 CBC Short-term rental hosts in Edmonton could soon need a business license
Aug 20, 2019 CTV Edmonton debates asking Airbnb hosts for business license
Aug 20, 2019 PhysOrg How much does Airbnb really affect rents and housing prices?
Aug 14, 2019 CBC Edmonton considering regulations for Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway
Aug 14, 2019 Narcity Edmonton Airbnb hosts are getting slapped with a ton of new restrictions
Aug 13, 2019 The Star Edmonton looks to regulate short-term rentals, such as Airbnb (with quote from AHLA)
Aug 5, 2019 Skift.com How can Airbnb guests live like locals if hosts are, well, corporations?
Jul 25, 2019 My McMurray Campaign calls for federal parties to crack down on online, short term rentals (with quote from AHLA)
Jul 18, 2019 iPolitics Hotel association calls for overhaul of federal tax rules on Airbnb and other digital platforms
Jul 17, 2019 CBC Hoteliers urge federal candidates to tax Airbnb hosts
Jul 17, 2019 iPolitics Hotel sector makes pre-election pitch for all parties to commit to crackdown on Airbnb, short-term rentals
Jul 17, 2019 CBC Ottawa News HAC launches #VoteFairRules campaign
May 14, 2019 Sherwood Park/Strathcona County News Local and provincial concerns arising about Airbnb (with quote from AHLA)
Apr 30, 2019 CBC Who’s behind the smiling faces of some Airbnb hosts? Multimillion-dollar corporations
March 13, 2018 Edmonton Journal Nuisance complaints prompt city hall to consider reining in Airbnb, other short-term rentals
March, 2018 CTV City discusses regulation of short-term rentals